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March 3, 1964 M. DOWD ETAL 3,123,357

H. BOWLING MACHINE RACK HAVING DUAL FUNCTION SETTING-RESETTING CUPS ANDCONTROL THEREFOR Original Filed Nov. 3, 1956 1a Sheet-Sheet 1 HONARD M00w' 0 ROYAL L. BARROWS BY ATTORNEYfl March 3, 1964 H. M. DOWD ETAL 7BOWLING MACHINE RACK HAVING DUAL FUNCTION SETTING-RESETTING CUPS ANDCONTROL THEREFOR Original Filed Nov. 5, 1956 18 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. lb

IN WWIURS. HOWARD M. DOWD ROYAL L. BARmVB By ATTORNEYS March 3, 1964 H.M. DOWD ETAL 3 2 57 BOWLING MACHINE RACK HAVING DUAL FUNCTIONSETTING-RESETTING CUPS AND CONTROL THEREFOR Original Filed Nov. 3, 195618 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. lC

TORJI HOWARD M. 0W g O YAL L. BARROWS ATTORNEYS March 3, 1964 H. M. DOWDETAL ,357 BOWLING MACHINE RACK HAVING DUAL FUNCTION SETTING-RESETTINGCUPS AND CONTROL THEREFOR Original Filed Nov. 3, 1956 18 Sheets-Sheet 4MWTURS. HOWARD M. DOWD ROYAL L. BARROWS 7) 5 ATTO R N EYS March 3, 1964M. DOWD ETAL 3,123,357 BOWLING MACHINE RACK HAVING DUAL FUNCTIONSETTING-RESETTING CUPS AND CONTROL THEREFOR Original Filed Nov. 3, 195618 Sheets-Sheet 5 L\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\V mmm.

HOWARD M. DOWD FgD YAL L. BARROWS March 3, 1964 H. M. DOWD ETAL K HAVINGDUAL FU 3,123,357 ESETTING BOWLING MACHINE RAC NCTION SETTING-R CUPS ANDCONTROL THEREFOR Original Filed Nov. 3, 1956 18 Sheets-Sheet 6 M10115.HOWARD M. DOWD ROYAL L. BARROWS BY A T RNEY;

3,123,357 ESETTING March 3, 1964 H. M. DOWD ETAL BOWLING MACHINE RACKHAVING DUAL FUNCTION SETTINGR CUPS AND CONTROL THEREFOR Original FlledNov 3 1956 18 Sheets-Sheet 7 FIG.6

ATTORN EY,5/

H. M. DOWD ETAL K HAVING DUAL FUNCTION SE March 3, '1964 3,123,357.RESETTING BOWLING MACHINE RAC TTING CUPS AND CONTROL THEREFOR OriginalFiled Nov. 3, 1956 18 Sheets-Sheet 8 FIJG. 7

M. DOWD L. BARRQWS 444/; 41/2/14 ATTQRNEY$ 3,123,357 ESETTING l8Sheets-Shee t 9- March 3, 1964 H. M. DOWD ETAL BOWLING MACHINE RACKHAVING DUAL FUNCTION SETTING-R CUPS AND CONTROL THEREFOR Original FiledNov. 5, 1956 OWARD M. DOWD SOYAL L. BARROWS ATTORNEYS March 3, 1964 H.M. DOWD ETAL 3,123,357

BOWLING MACHINE RACK HAVING DUAL FUNCTION SETTING-RESETTING CUPS ANDCONTROL THEREFOR Original Filed Nov. 3, 1956 18 Sheets-Sheet 10 HOWARDM. bowo FggYAL L. BARROWS March 3, 1964 H. M. DOWD ETAL 7 BOWLINGMACHINE RACK HAVING DUAL FUNCTION SETTING-RESETTING cups AND CONTROLTHEREFOR Original Filed Nov. 5, 1956 18 Sheets-Sheet ll- Fl G. l4

INVENIURS. HOWARD M. DOWD FgYAL L. BARROWS ATTORNEY s March 3, 1964 H.M. DOWD ETAL 3,123, 57

BOWLING MACHINE RACK HAVING DUAL FUNCTION SETTING-RESETTING CUPS ANDCONTROL THEREFOR Original Filed Nov. 3, 1956 18 Sheets-Sheet l2 HOWARDM. DOWD g gYAL L. BARROWS ATTORNEYS March 3, 1964 H. M. DOWD ETAL3,123,357

BOWLING MACHINE RACK HAVING DUAL FUNCTION SETTING-RESETTING CUPS ANDCONTROL THEREFOR Original Filed Nov. 3, 1956 18 Sheets-Sheet 13INVLWTORS HOWARD M. DOWD ROYAL L BARROWS BY ATTORNEY March 3, 1964 DQWDET BOWLING MACHINE RACK HAVING DUAL FUNCTION SETTING-RESETTING CUPS ANDCONTROL THEREFOR Original Filed Nov. 3, 1956 18 Sheets-Sheet 14 7.1 F7/6 V k- 74a: 1 I L; j I

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"ti: 0 INVENTORY. 676 4:53-90, HOWARD M. oowo L 676 6/2 By ROYAL BARROWSATTORN EYS March 3, 1964 H. M. DOWD F%TAL 3,123,357 RESETTING 18Sheets-Sheet 15 BOWLING MACHINE! RACK HAVING DUAL NCTION SETTING CUPSAND CONTROL THEREFOR Original Filed Nov. 5, 1956 \UM HUM TAM, Nm% 3 ii 7mm, m m 2 M h Q A a A mw 96h E A G @m m a A WWW 0.0% V J MWQ 12L IH 1-QWR wmu m mh mum NwN mm mm Numb J QR M \IO/ WW5 o o. NQ L v W WmN A oWWO 0 NQR www h March 3, 1964 H. M. DOWD ETAL 57 BOWLING MACHINE RACKHAVING DUAL FUNCTION SETTING-RESETTING CUPS AND CONTROL THEREFOROriginal Filed Nov. 5, 1956 18 Sheets-Sheet 16 I Nk @ eooo o kt o o O Q0 Q 0 0 0 0 Q G 6 0 0 Q 0 8% Q ll QR ATTORNEY 3,123,357 ESETTING l8Sheets-Sheet 17 March 3, 1964 H. M. DOWD' ETAL BOWLING MACHINE RACKHAVING DUAL FUNCTION SETTING-R I CUPS AND CONTROL THEREFOR OriginalFiled Nov. 5, 1956 HOWARD M odv v ROYAL L'. B'ARROWS ATTORNEYIZ3,123,357 ESETTING March 3, 1964 H. M. DOWD ETAL BOWLING MACHINE RACKHAVING DUAL FUNCTION SETTING-R CUPS AND CONTROL THEREFOR Original FiledNov. 5, 1956 18 Sheets-Sheet 18 IN V EN TORI DOWD HOWARD M.

ARROWS gQYAL L B AT TORN Ey United States Patent BOWLING MACHINE RACKHAVING DUAL FUNC- TEON SETTlNG-RESETTEQG CUPS AND CON- TROL THEREFQRHoward M. D'owtl, Littleton, and Royal L. Barrows,

Middleton, Mass. (both of Newtown Road, Littleton, Mass.)

Original application Nov. 3, 1956, Ser. No. 625,739, now Patent No.3,063,716, dated Nov. 13, 1962. Divided and this application Dec. 15,1961, Ser. No. 159,586

8 Claims. (Cl. 273- 33),

This invention relates to bowling pin setting machines and moreparticularly to novel mechanism for automatically setting duck pins andking pins.

This application is a division of our copending application Ser. No.625,739, filed November 3, 1956, and now Patent No. 3,063,716, forAutomatic Bowling Pin etting Machine.

Many mechanisms have been designed for the purpose of setting bowlingpins of the duck pin and ten pin types, but for various reasons theyhave failed to fully satisfy bowling alley proprietors and the bowlingpublic. The primary purpose of a pin setting machine is to eliminate theneed for pin boys; but for pin setting machines to fully supplant pinboys and to be commercially successful as well as acceptable to thebowling public, it is necessary not only that such machines be capableof fully performing the various functions of a pin boy, but also thatthey (1) be of compact design to lit in existing alleys without need forextensive revamping of the alley structure; (2) operate accurately andrapidly; (3) be under complete control of the bowler; (4) besubstantially free of jam ming; and (5) have a cost of installation, useand maintenance that fully justifies the fact of automation. Machineshitherto designed have failed to satisfy all of the aforesaidrequirements. Some have not been capable of fully performing all of thenormal functions of a pin boy, such as removing dead wood. Others havebeen so large or heavy as to require enlargement or strengthening ofbowling alley establishments. Still others have operated too slowly orinconsistently, or have required constant attention to remove pins thatbecome jammed in the vari ous mechanisms or have piled up in the pit dueto failure of the pin conveyor to pick them up. In many cases thedesigns have been such as to make prohibitive the cost of installationand maintenance. Other specific faults and criticisms may be notedagainst specific mechanisms.

Accordingly the object of this invention is to provide an automaticbowling pin setting machine that is adapted to set duck pins, but whichcan be modified by dimensional changes to accommodate the larger tenpins (also called king pins), and which is so designed as to be free ofthe faults noted above attendant to other pin setting machines hithertoinvented.

Another object of this invention is to provide a bowling pin settingmachine having means for sweeping pins and balls from the alley andgutters, means for removing pins and balls from the alley pit, means fordirecting balls ack to the bowler, means for conveying pins from thelevel of the pit to a distributing mechanism located above the alley,storage means for receiving a complete set of pins from the distributingmeans, a pin setting rack, means for releasing pins from the storagemeans to the pin setting rack, means under the bowlers control forlowering the rack to deposit a complete set of pins on the alley floor,means under the bowlers control for causing the rack to pick up standingpins on the alley so as to allow dead wood to be swept from the alleyand to redeposit said standing pins on the alley floor after removal ofthe dead wood, and control means for causing said various means tooperate in a predetermined man- 3,123,357 Patented Mar. 3, 1964 2 ner soas to maintain a complete set of pins available for deposit on the alleyupon request while at the same time permitting selective operation ofthe sweeper and pin setting rack to remove dead wood and, if necessary,to pick up standing pins preparatory to removal of dead wood.

Another object is to provide improvements in (1) means for sweeping pinsfrom the alley floor; (2) means for separating balls and pins in thealley pit; (3) means for picking up, conveying and discharging bowlingpins; (4) means for picking up, conveying and discharging bowling balls;(5) means for storing and distributing pins; (6) means for setting pinson the alley floor and for picking up pins from the alley floor; and (7)means for starting and limiting operation of the aforementioned means soas to (a) control the traflic of pins throughout the machine, (b)maintain a complete set of pins in ready reserve for setting, (c)prevent operation of certain mechanisms except under the correctconditions, (d) selectively cause certain mechanisms to perform one ofseveral operations, (e) remove control of the machine from the bowlerafter the machine has been set in operation, and (f) restore control tothe bowler only after the machine has completed its particularoperation.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1a, 1b, and 1c together comprise a plan view of the bowling pinsetting machine of this invention, with certain portions broken away andomitted for ease of illustration;

FIGS. 2a, 2b, and 20 together comprise a side elevation of the samemachine, with certain portions broken away or shown in section for easeof illustration;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2a;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation showing details of thepin sweeper carriage mechanism;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view in elevation taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 20;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the bowling pin elevator, the sectionbeing taken along line 7777 of FIG. la; however, for convenience theseveral portions of the pin elevator are illustrated as residing in acommon plane;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a sectional View taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectional view in elevation of the pindistributor mechanism, the section being taken along line 1019 of FIG.1b;

FEG. 11 is an enlarged fragmentaiy plan view of the pin distributormechanism;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the pin distributorshowing details of the clutch mechanism for indexing the distributor;

FIG. 13 is a sectional view in elevation [taken along line 13'1'3 ofFIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a sectional view in elevation of the pin reservoir sectionand the pin setting board, the view being taken along a linecorresponding to line '1414 of FIG. 16;

FIG. 15 is a plan view of the pin storage finger asse-mblyj FIG. 16 is aplan View of the pin-positioning board;

FIG. 17 is a sectional view taken along line 17-'17 of FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is a sectional view taken along line 18-48 of FIG. 16;

FIG. 19 is a fragmentary front view in elevation of the mechanism foroperating and controlling the storage finger assembly and thepin-positioning board;

FIG. 20 is an enlarged plan view of certain of the elements for openingand closing the cups of the pin-positioning board;

FIG. 21 is an enlarged plan view of the control mechanism of themachine, including some of the mechanism shown in FIG. 19;

FIG. 22 is a sectional view in elevation taken along line 22-22 of FIG.21;

FIG. 23 is an enlarged side elevation of the mechanism shown in FIG. 21for raising and lowering the pin-positioning board;

:FIG. 24 is an enlarged side elevation of a portion of the mechanism ofFIGS. 19 and 21;

FIG. 25 is a perspective view showing certain of the elements of themechanism illustrated in FIGS. 19 and 21; and,

FIG. 26 is a schematic representation of the electrical circuits of themachine.

Refer-ring more particularly to the drawings there is shown aconventional bowling alley A, having a stationary pit B at the rear endthereof. Disposed at this same end of the alley is a bowling pin settingmachine constructed according to this invention. The machine asillustrated is adapted to handle duck pins. However, by appropriatelychanging the dimensions of the various pintransporting mechanisms,machines can be constructed to handle the larger ten pins instead.

The machine can be divided into seven component mechanisms, namely, analley pit turntable C, a pin elevator D, a ball elevator E, a pinsweeper F, a pin distributor G, a pin reservoir H, and a pin spottingand respotting rack I. Continuously operating gutter belts l forsweeping balls and pins from the gutters of the alley form part of thealley pit turntable mechanism. In addition the machine includesmechanism for operating the aforesaid component mechanisms andelectrical controls for controlling said operating mechanism. In thefollowing specification, the operating mechanisms and the variouselectrical controls are described concurrently with the description ofthe mechanisms with which they are associated only to the extentnecessary to facilitate proper description of the latter and toestablish the location and relationship of the former relative to thelatter; otherwise the operating mechanisms and electrical controls aredescribed separately.

Pit Turntable C Positioned in pit B of the alley is a turntable C. Theturntable is secured to and supported by a cylindrical member 2 which isrotatably secured to a bearing plate 4 fixed to the floor of the pit B.A large pulley 6 is secured to cylindrical member 2. Also located in thepit at a fixed position is a rotatable vertical shaft 8 provided with anidler pulley 10. A turntable drive motor M1 is located behind the rearwall 14 of the pit. Motor M1 has a drive pulley 16 which acts to drive abelt 18 which passes through a hole 20 in rear Wall '14 and rides aboutidler pulley 1G and pulley 6 to drive the turntable clockwise ('FIG.1a). A plurality of rollers 22 which are rotatably secured to standards24 engage the underside of the turntable adjacent its edge and act toprevent the turntable from wobbling or breaking under the impact of pinsand balls delivered thereto from the alley.

Engaging the top surface of pulley is a wheel 19 fixedly mounted on ashaft 21 extending transversely of the pit beneath the turntable. Shaft21 is journaled in bearings 23 and is provided at its ends with pulleys25 which drive endless gutter belts I. Two additional pulleys (notshown) are positioned in the gutters further back in the alley and areso positioned as to direct the upper run of the belts over the topsurface of the gutter. Pulley 10 drives wheel 19 and shaft 21 in adirection such that the upper run of the belts moves toward the pit, asshown by the arrow in FIG. 1a. The gutter belts operate continuously solong as motor M1 is operating.

Pin Elevator D Located at the rear end of the pit is a pin elevator D.This component mechanism comprises three integrated frame sections 26,28 and 3d, and a pin conveyor comprising a pair of endless chains 32 and34 which cooperate to transport a plurality of pin-conveying elementsgenerally identified by numeral 36. Frame section 26 is disposed behindrear wall 14 of the pit and extends horizontally and laterally of themachine. Frame sec tion 26 has a pair of wall members 38 and 4t} securedtogether in parallel spaced relation by a vertical end wall 42 and ahorizontal floor member 44 located between the upper and lower edges ofwall members 38 and 40. Floor member 44 terminates short of end wall 42and is offset along its center line to provide a longitudinallyextending channel section 46. At the end opposite wall 42, floor 44curves upwardly as at 47. The curved floor section 47 has a longitudinalchannel 46a which is deeper that channel 46 and connects with the latterat 152. Channel 46a is wide enough to receive the V-shaped portion 138on pin carrier elements 36 and the head but not the body of a bowlingpin. Also secured to wall members 38 and 40 above floor member 44 aretwo inclined wall members 48 and 59 which act to deflect and guide pinsinto the channel 46 of floor member 44. Wall members 4S and So alsoshield chains 32 and 34- from pins falling into the trough defined bywall members 3% and 40 and floor member 44.

At the end opposite end wall 42 the two side walls 38 and 40 are joinedto the two vertically extending side walls 52 and 54 of frame section28. As shown in FIG. 2a the bottom ends of side walls 52 and 54- are inthe same vertical planes as walls 38 and 40, which planes are parallelto the plane of rear pit wall 14. However, side walls 52 and 54 are bothpermanently twisted so that their upper ends lie in vertical planesextending obliquely of the machine. Extending between and secured toside walls 52 and 54 is an elongated plate or partition 58 having aU-shaped channel 59 which functions as a continuation of channel 46a.Plate 58 is permanently twisted in conformance with the twist of sidewalls 52 and 54. The front edges of side walls 52 and 54 are alsoprovided with flanges 6t} and 62 which are disposed parallel to plate 58and cooperate with the latter to provide a guideway for chains 32 and34.

Frame section 30 comprises two side wall members 66 and 68 secured tothe top ends of side wall members 52 and 54. Both members 66 and 68 haveinturned flanges 70 and 72 at their bottom edges, the flanges acting assupporting guideways for chains 32 and 34. At their forward end sidewall members 66 and 68 have like pin carrier deflecting members 74 and 76 on their inside surfaces. These pin carrier deflecting members arespaced from each other by an amount large enough to accommodatetherebetween the neck portion of a bowling pin P but small enough tointercept and support the curved yoke portion of the pin carriers.Defiecting members '74 and 76 extend between the depending extensions 73and 80 of side wall members 66 and 68, terminating at 82. Also securedto the side wall members 66 and 68 is a flat horizontal floor member 86.The rear end of floor member 86 curves downwardly as shown at 88.Attached to depending extensions 78 and 80 by two brackets 90' is adelivery chute 92. The chute is provided with a large arch-like slot 94on the side beneath extension 78. Slot 94 is wide enough to allowpassage therethrough of a bowling pin in upstanding position. Attachedto the chute is a normally open switch SW8 having a resiliently mountedswitch finger 96 which extends into the bottom end of the chute througha slot 98. Switch finger 96 extends into the chute far enough to beengaged by pins P falling

1. IN A BOWLING PINSETTING MACHINE OF THE TYPE HAVING PIN STORAGE MEANS MOUNTED ON A FRAME WHICH FRAME IS ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ABOVE A BOWLING ALLEY, A PIN POSITIONING RACK PROVIDED WITH PIN HOLDING CUPS DEPENDINGLY MOUNTED FOR VERTICAL RECIPROCATING TRAVEL ON SAID FRAME, AND ADAPTED IN ONE OPERATING SEQUENCE (THE PINSETTING CYCLE) TO RECEIVE PINS FROM SAID STORAGE MEANS AND TO DELIVER SUCH PINS TO THE FLOOR OF SUCH ALLEY, AND IN A SECOND OPERATING SEQUENCE (THE DEADWOOD CYCLE) TO LIFT STANDING PINS FROM SAID FLOOR AND TO RESPOT SAID PINS ON SAID FLOOR; ROTATABLE MEANS VERTICALLY MOUNTED ON SAID RACK AND EXTENDING THROUGH SAID FRAME FOR OPENING AND CLOSING SAID PIN HOLDING CUPS; DRIVE MEANS INCLUDING A ROTATABLE SHAFT MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME FOR RAISING AND LOWERING SAID RACK DURING A SINGLE ROTATION OF SAID SHAFT; MEANS FOR ACTUATING SAID DRIVE MEANS; AND CAM MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID SHAFT FOR CONTROLLING THE LENGTH OF THE STROKE WHICH SAID RACK TRAVELS TOWARD SAID FLOOR AND FOR ACTUATING THE ROTATABLE MEANS OPENING AND CLOSING SAID HOLDING CUPS. 